The Trump administration has slow-walked the approval of millions of dollars in National Science Foundation grants to Harvard and other universities that have been under increased scrutiny as part of the White House’s push against what it calls woke campus ideology, according to records reviewed by The New York Times.

The funding delays have reportedly affected Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Duke. Grant proposals that had already advanced through the foundation’s review process were flagged for further scrutiny.

The move comes as President Donald Trump continues efforts to reform higher education and ensure taxpayer-funded grants align with federal priorities and the national interest.

A White House spokeswoman told the Times the reviews are being conducted in accordance with federal law.

The Times reported that more than 40 grants totaling about $35 million were placed on hold at the four universities, with Harvard accounting for roughly half the delayed funding.

The grants covered a wide range of research areas, including quantum science, nuclear physics, and agricultural markets.

After media inquiries this week, the National Science Foundation began releasing some of the delayed awards. Nearly a dozen grants were approved Wednesday and Thursday after being held up for months, according to the Times.

The administration’s actions have drawn criticism from higher education advocates and legal scholars.

Michael Gerhardt, a constitutional law professor at the University of North Carolina, argued that the delays could conflict with a previous court ruling involving Harvard.

“It’s the same game the administration has been waging since day 1,” Gerhardt said.

University officials said they have experienced a noticeable slowdown in grant approvals, with little explanation from federal officials.

“Like other universities, we have experienced a slowdown in new federal research grants,” Peter Schiffer, Princeton’s dean for research, told the Times.

“The NSF has not informed us of any blanket action involving our pipeline of NSF-funded projects, many of which involve quantum science and engineering, computing, and a range of other emerging technologies that are critical to the economic and national security of the United States,” he added.

Chris Simmons, Duke’s vice president for government relations, also expressed concern.

“We are highly concerned with the lag in the awards from the NSF,” Simmons told the outlet.

Harvard has been a frequent target of administration scrutiny since Trump returned to office, particularly after the university successfully challenged federal funding cuts in court.

The administration has vowed to appeal that ruling while pursuing broader reforms to the federal grant-making process.

Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, called the NSF slowdown “substantial,” telling the Times his organization is “worried and confused, because we have not gotten any explanation.”